Things to do in 2017

Another year, another list! Let's see how I did in 2016, shall we?

Here are the goals I set in 2016:

1. Watch 20 books in my "1001 Movies to See Before You Die" book - I know I watched 19. I stopped keeping track, so I may have gotten another one in there. I count this a success since I at least got close. 
2. Nail down "family formal" lighting - I feel pretty good about this. I've gotten a much better handle on my off-camera flash this year, so family formals have improved! 
3. Write stuff down - I did this a little bit. I had some struggles this year that I wrote about as a sort of therapy for myself, then when I felt sufficiently recovered, I cut the pages out of my journal and trashed them...ha 
4. Let feet heal, and run again - Prior to my dad passing away, I had started running again with minimal pain. I was doing pretty well! Hoping to get back to it this week.
5. Go to church consistently - I had success with this on and off. We did start going to a Life Group though, so that's good! I did better in 2016 than in 2015, but hoping to improve even more in 2017. 
6. Replace main camera - I tried out the successor of my camera, and while I liked it, I didn't feel the need to spend the money on it. The camera I have is still serving me well!
7. Put $5000 toward Rhett's school loans - Success! This was difficult to make happen, but I did it. 
8. Clean out garage - Didn't make even a little progress on this. 
9. Read a book a month - I surpassed this goal by a lot! 66 books total. It's been a very wordy year.
10. Get bushes removed in the backyard - Nope. Seriously have to make this happen eventually.

I honestly didn't feel like I did great this year, but looking back, it's not bad. I set manageable goals and did pretty well. Most of the year was ok, but it really hasn't been the most pleasant one. I was in a "valley" as I like to call it, emotionally, for most of the year. I did finally recover from that around early fall. Then my dad passed away on Thanksgiving and I sort of spiraled. I am good at hiding it, but it's been rough. Time is healing, though, and I'm slowing feeling better. 

Ok, so now that I've got that out of the way, let's look at 2017, shall we?

I hung out with my friend Josh last night and we came up with some goals. Feeling good about things so far!

1. Read 50 books
2. Clean & Organize garage (for real this time) - this is especially needed now that I have a lot of my dad's things that I'd like to hang onto.
3. Tithe - I'm not consistent with this, so I want to get in the habit.
4. Journal weekly - I have a weekly list making journal to help with this! Excited about that. 
5. Research & choose new album for photography packages - I just want something a little nicer
6. Run ≥ 5 miles a week
7. Clean out closet and fix up guestroom - That room needs help!
8. Go through boxes in the attic
9. Minimize:
• Possessions
• Social Media
• Junk Food

These all seem very doable! Nothing too crazy, and mostly stuff that is measurable. I am looking forward to this being a good year. Rhett and I will be celebrating 5 years of marriage this year, AND I'll be celebrating my 30th birthday. I can't believe that I'll be 30 this year! I still don't feel like I'm that far removed from college, but I think that birthday will make it sink in. Here's hoping I don't feel too sad about getting older!

Hope you all have a happy and healthy 2017!

Things to do in 2016

It's that time again. Time to sit down and think of things I want to accomplish in the coming year. I had a pretty successful and productive 2015, so when I sat down to think of things for 2016, I was going a little blank. I honestly pulled a lot of this year's goals out of thin air, but I'm sure I'll think of more things along the way. First, let's see how I did last year:

1. Actually really seriously paint the kitchen - for real this time. - Done with just a few days to spare. I ended up hiring someone to do this, but I went a little above and beyond my original plans. I stained my cabinets (by myself, right in the middle of wedding season) and got new countertops in addition to painting. All we have left is the backsplash and the whole room already looks so much better. I'll do a before/after post when it's done!  
2. Set up guestroom - did this. It's a little half-hearted, but I don't want to spend money on painting and flooring. The important thing is that there's a bed in there and it looks like a real room, not a storage closet. 
3. Shoot 20 weddings - Unbelievably, I ended up with over 25 weddings. This year was insane for my business, and I am still pinching myself. I am beyond thankful for my clients and all the people who have been supporting me.  
4. Get the front flower beds under control - I had more in mind, but all I ended up doing was killing weeds and using pine needles to cover the bed. It looks decent, and the pine needles are free from my back yard! Maybe flowers can be planted this year.  
5. Organize vintage inventory - I did this out of necessity when I moved to a desktop computer. I now have a nice workspace upstairs, and all the vintage stuff is organized in boxes. I'm still not doing anything with it, but at least it's not still strewn all over the place. 
6. Deep clean the house and minimize possessions - the only thing I did was bleach and scrub the tile in my bathroom. Everything else I cleaned was stuff just to get by without living in utter filth. I just hate cleaning y'all. I hate it. 
7. Break 24 minutes in the 5K - Unfortunately I haven't recovered from the plantar fasciitis that I got while training for my marathon in 2014. I've completely stopped running for now to try and get past that. It was hard to let this goal get away since I had gotten somewhat close. 
8. Reach $10,000 in savings - I am so proud of myself for reaching this goal! I still treat non-essential purchases as treats, which helps me not spend too much extra money. Now if only I could get my grocery spending in check... 
9. Do at least 5 personal projects - eh, I kind of decided I didn't care about personal projects anymore. I shoot full time at work plus weddings, so in my personal time, I just like to do other things. 
10. Read a book a month - I don't have trouble with this anymore, but I keep it as a goal because it keeps me from slacking off. I read some GREAT books this year. I discovered a new favorite author, Christopher Buckley, and I'm currently reading his newest, The Relic Master. I also read through the Harry Potter books again. 
11. Walk Chipper 5 days a week - I did well with this on and off, but I've certainly been off since the time changed. I know it's not a good excuse, but it's hard to make myself walk him in the dark. 

Overall, I think 2015 was good! I had such a baller year with my business, and I feel like I got some things in my house under control right at the end of the year. My mood is a ton better when I come home to a kitchen with a pleasant atmosphere, as dumb as that sounds. It really makes a difference! 

Now for 2016... let's see what I came up with. 

1. Watch 20 books in my "1001 Movies to See Before You Die" book - I slacked on this in 2015, but I want to get back on the wagon this year. I enjoy watching the older films in the book (it was published in 2008 I think) even though not all of them are to my taste. I suppose it makes me more well-rounded. 
2. Nail down "family formal" lighting - I've needed to work on this for a while. I need to figure out flash power, position and camera settings to get what I want every single time. 
3. Write stuff down - I tried this last year with no success. Writing things down helps me work through them, and I have neglected doing that in the last several years. I need to get over my fear that people will read it, because honestly no one else would even want to. 
4. Let feet heal, and run again - I've given myself until May before I try and run again. So far, I still have the plantar fasciitis (haven't run since early Dec), but it's not as severe. Crossing fingers! 
5. Go to church consistently - I started this in December, but I want to go every Sunday unless I'm out of town. No excuses. I used my "I'm tired from shooting all day Saturday" excuse far too much this year. Guess what? Everyone else is tired too...get over it. 
6. Replace main camera - would have done this in 2015 if Canon would get their crap together. I'm just waiting for the successor to my currently camera to be released (or even announced! Get it together, Canon!)
7. Put $5000 toward Rhett's school loans - He has a long way to go on those loans, and I've been trying to help. Since I was so successful with saving last year, I'm hoping I can be disciplined enough to make this happen.
8. Clean out garage - It's a wreck. It's got to be done. 
9. Read a book a month
10. Get bushes removed in the backyard - We have some inexplicably placed bushes in the backyard that I can't get out without machinery. Hoping to hire someone to do this in 2016. I'd like to eventually replace my deck with a smaller covered deck and a patio, so I need the space where the bushes are. 

Well that's it! I know these are boring, but I like to set attainable and measurable goals for myself. I find that goals, instead of resolutions, keep me motivated throughout the year.

Here's to a maybe slightly productive 2016! 

If you're curious: 

Things to do in 2015

Things to do in 2014

Things to do in 2013

Things to do in 2012

Things to Do in 2015

For the 4th time, I've made a list of things to do in the coming year. I guess it's becoming a tradition! I like making these goals for myself, even if some of them never get done. I really feel that all of my tasks this year are totally attainable. I tried to keep that in mind when making them. I don't have as many that I can make fun charts for this year, but maybe I can come up with some more later. I loved keeping my 900 miles chart last year. Speaking of last year, let's see how I did in 2014:

1. Pay off car - Done with some time to spare! It felt so good to cross this off. 
2. Clean out shed - This happened! It was largely thanks to my mom and cousins. Most of the stuff in there was theirs. It's nice to have some space in there. 
3. Shoot my own trash the dress session - nope. This became less of a fun idea...so I didn't do it.
4. Make progress on saving for a Canon 5D Mark III - Bought it early in the year and had no trouble paying it off! It's been awesome. 
5. Run 900 miles - Did it :) My marathon put me over the goal.
6. Watch 20 movies in my "1001 Movies to See Before You Die" book - nope. I honestly didn't even try on this one. 
7. Paint the Kitchen - yet again, I let this one get away from me. next year! 
8. Maintain good habits - I let the nutrition slip a few times, but I've done relatively well.
9. Rebrand business to Kristi Woody Photography - done! As you can see, it's Woody & Pearl Photography, and thanks to my friend Scott Heit, my branding is baller. 
10. Read at least a book a month - I didn't keep track of this, but I'm almost positive I did since I read 8 books in December alone. 
11. Build up product and food portfolio - Did a few more shoots this year, mostly for Jerseymaids jewelry and Tulum (my fav restaurant).

I say I really killed it in 2014! Only three goals missed. I also achieved some long term goals that I hadn't originally planned to do last year. I completed a triathlon AND a marathon. Both experiences were...special. I surprised myself with what I was able to accomplish, but I'm not going to pretend it wasn't incredibly challenging. I'm so glad to have crossed those things off my list. Woo hoo! I'm ready to make the most of 2015. 

1. Actually really seriously paint the kitchen - for real this time. 
2. Set up guestroom - this desperately needs to get done
3. Shoot 20 weddings - Booked 11 so far! 
4. Get the front flower beds under control - I'm not above hiring someone to do this one. 
5. Organize vintage inventory - my office looks like a vintage explosion went off. It needs help
6. Deep clean the house and minimize possessions - this will be the hardest for me to accomplish. I hate cleaning with a fiery, burning passion. 
7. Break 24 minutes in the 5K - had to have a running goal in there!
8. Reach $10,000 in savings - This will be tough, but I love setting financial goals. I may invest half of it when I reach my goal.
9. Do at least 5 personal projects - I've set this goal before and missed it, but I have a great group of creative friends in my life that I know will push me. 
10. Read a book a month - I try this every year. It's not hard anymore because I just love reading so much!
11. Walk Chipper 5 days a week - I've gotten really lazy with him, and he deserves better. It'll be good for me too. 

Additional goal: Journal once a week. This was inspired by my good friend Josh Garcia. I've been wanting to get back to journalling anyway, so once a week sounds like a plan! I've been thinking about how little I'm going to remember about my life when I'm older. I want to be able to tell my kids stories (if kids happen...no guarantees), and I know I won't be able to do that without writing things down. My memory on a scale from 1 to 10 is probably a 4. 

Here's to a fantastic 2015! Happy new year (a little late, I know). I hope you all have a wonderful year, and I guess I'll see you back at this post in 12 months. 

Things to do in 2014

For the past couple of years, I've made a list of things I wanted to do for the year. It's sort of like resolutions, but there is a mix of abstract goals as well as very measurable goals. I did ok in 2012, but to be honest, I kind of stunk in 2013. Despite not doing great with my list, I DID have an awesome year. I am so thankful for all of the opportunities I've had and the growth I've seen with my business in particular. Let's see how I did in 2013:

1. Run a marathon - didn't end up doing this. I'm not disappointed though. It just wasn't in the stars!
2. Do at least 5 personal/fun photoshoots - I only did two
3. Get rid of stuff I don't need - minimize - I've done well with this! My closet is pretty thin, and I don't mind at all
4. Paint the kitchen - this one is going on the list next year. Didn't have time this year. 
5. Be a great wife - Rhett says I accomplished this one :) 
6. Read my Bible regularly - Finished a chronological read through the whole Bible! This was a big accomplishment for me. 
7. Continue to read a book a month - I read all 7 Harry Potter books in about a month, plus the rest of the books I read this year, so I'd say this was successful.
8. Maintain fitness and eat cleaner more clean (eat cleaner sounds like I want to eat Clorox) - check!
9. Decorate the guest rooms - This didn't happen even a little. I just can't get myself motivated!
10. Organize the attic - This is overwhelming, so I never got around to it. 
11. Save Mo $$$ - Did GREAT with this one. Trying to end each month with more money in the bank than the last. It worked out great. 
12. Paint and re-floor studio - DONE! Need to post photos soon. Love my new studio.
13. Make more time for friends - I did well with this! I get together with my friends in other towns almost monthly. I love seeing those ladies. 
14. Keep the house clean - I'm horrible at this. The house isn't filthy, but it isn't great. 

8 out of 14. Meh. At least it's over half! 

1. Pay off car - I did the math and unless some odd circumstances come up, I CAN DO THIS!
2. Clean out shed - There's a lot of junk in there that just needs to be tossed. The rest is storage, but it's not much. I don't need the space, I just hate knowing all that junk is out there crawling with spiders.
3. Shoot my own trash the dress session - this is a maybe. I know I want to do a trash the dress the session, but I'm not 100% that I want it to be a self portrait. We'll see! It'll be a cool session either way. 
4. Make progress on saving for a Canon 5D Mark III - Might take a couple of years to save up, but I'd like to make progress this year. Maybe half the amount. 
5. Run 900 miles - this is VERY lofty. If I really kill it this year, it's doable. Let's hope I don't have any major injuries. 
6. Watch 20 movies in my "1001 Movies to See Before You Die" book
7. Paint the Kitchen - yep, this is here again. It's seriously time. 
8. Maintain good habits - Drinking water, exercising, eating well most of the time.
9. Rebrand business to Kristi Woody Photography - already brainstorming ideas for this one!
10. Read at least a book a month - This is a goal each year and I love it! I've rediscovered my love for reading over the last few years. 
11. Build up product and food portfolio - I did a little of this in 2013, but I'm excited to keep the momentum. 

Like I said before, 2013 was a wonderful year! We got our little puppy companion, Chipper, who has turned out to be such a fun little guy to have around (most of the time...when he's not eating important papers). I started putting a lot more effort into my photography business, and it's really paid off. I've had some truly amazing clients this year and learned so much. I am so thankful for everything God has blessed me with this year, and I'm looking forward to what He has in store for next year! 

I hope you all have had an amazing year as well. I'd love to see what every one else's 2014 goals are, so leave a link in the comments if you blogged a list! Happy New Year!

Read a Book a Month: December

In December I picked up a book that I've had in my stack for quite some time. As you can see, I picked it out of a bargin bin. It's a collection of short stories called Varieties of Disturbance by Lydia Davis. The stories range from 2 or 3 lines to 20 pages, and there are subjects all the way from domestic servants to passing gas! Some of them really made me laugh, but of lot of them just made me think. I actually really enjoyed the one where she analyzes the lives of two elderly women and determines what factors might have contributed to their long healthy lives. I know it sounds super boring, but it was interesting! I don't even know if it was a true observation...she may have just completely made up these characters. Anyway, I enjoyed this! It was a nice cap to a great reading year for me.

I'm planning to do this again in 2013. I'm going to read a little more on Les Miserables  then start on something to complete in January. Maybe I'll finish Les Mis by the end of the year! Have you guys read any good books lately?

Things to do in 2013

Last year I made a list of things I wanted to do for the year, and I loved having something to refer back to all year! I decided to do the same thing this year, but first let's see how I did in 2012.

1. Raise $1500 for St. Jude - Success! I raised $1570. I will be doing this again at the end of this year :)
2. Maintain running and good eating habits - Success! Of course my eating habits wavered now and then, but for the most part I did well. And I'm still running.
3. Watch 100 movies in my book - I didn't really get close with this one, but here's what I did manage to watch (tumblr)
4. Get the garage organized and keep it that way - Don't know if this will ever happen. haha
5. Learn how to sew and make something - I haven't made it all the way through the tutorial book I bought, but I did make table runners for the wedding. I also made some sachets! I hope to do more next year.
6. Switch to a king size bed - Done! And I now have someone to share it with :).
7. Paint the kitchen - With all the wedding business, this never got done. Maybe 2013!
8. Lay laminate floor in the studio - Again, too busy and not enough extra cash in 2012. Still needs to be done, for sure.
9. Keep the house clean - I think I did decent with this. I keep things pretty tidy at least!
10. Change pricing and structure of photography - Success! I made several changes, including finally getting a website. I also raised my prices some, which was long overdue
11. Keep taking my vitamins - Decided they weren't helping much, and the iron in the multi started making me sick. Oh well!
12. Do more photo challenges - I did well with this! It's fun doing extra projects.
13. Read a book a month - Success! This was my favorite thing on the list, and I so enjoyed keeping it up. Doing this again in 2013! See what I read this year here. 
14. Do good things for other people - I like to think I did.

9 out of 14 isn't too bad, I guess. Here's to an even better 2013! Now on to the new list...

1. Run a marathon - Really excited about this one! Emily and I are going to do the St. Jude marathon in December. I did the half in 2012 and LOVED it. 
2. Do at least 5 personal/fun photoshoots
3. Get rid of stuff I don't need - minimize - I feel like I am constantly needing to do this.
4. Paint the kitchen - really must do it this year!
5. Be a great wife - we'll have to ask Rhett about that one at the end of the year :)
6. Read my Bible regularly 
7. Continue to read a book a month
8. Maintain fitness and eat cleaner more clean (eat cleaner sounds like I want to eat Clorox)
9. Decorate the guest rooms - They are pretty bare, and I'd like to make them inviting. Maybe just some curtains and wall decor will help!
10. Organize the attic - This will be a Spring activity
11. Save Mo $$$ - would like to buy a new fridge, so I need to save save save!
12. Paint and re-floor studio - here we are again! This will depend on time and money
13. Make more time for friends - a lot of my best friends live in other places now. I need to make more time to either visit or call them. I miss us all being in the same town!
14. Keep the house clean - I think this always needs to be on here

2012 has been a GREAT year! Rhett and I finally got married, and I couldn't be happier. That was the one thing I really longed for, and now that it has happened, I feel extremely content. I don't know that anything could happen in 2013 to top getting married, but I still expect that it will be a good year. 

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year celebration! Rhett and I spent the evening with some friends at the lake. We had some delicious food, played games and just enjoyed time together. It was a perfect way to ring in the new year!

Read a Book a Month: August

Last month I was supposed to read a book called Forever, but I had some trouble obtaining it. I tried using a site called Paperback Swap, but the person I requested it from didn't send it until last week...a month after I requested it. While I waited, I read some more of Les Miserables and finally read Catching Fire. I really enjoyed Catching Fire, maybe even more than The Hunger Games. I just started Mockingjay last night, so I'm excited to learn how the story concludes. I recommend these books if you want some quick reading (for a vacation or plane ride or something). Also, I can't wait for the movie to come out! The first one was really good.

I hope you all had a great weekend! I had a very eventful Saturday. I got to go to a surprise brunch party for a friend, then worked on table runners for the wedding. That evening I went to a youth rally event at Freed Hardeman (they interviewed me about my photography for Special Needs Athletics), then I went to a concert at Union's coffee shop. I enjoyed having a pretty chill but fun day :)

Read a Book a Month: July

Is it just me or is thirteenth kind of a weird word? I spelled it out and it just doesn't look right! Ok, anyway, The Thirteenth Tale was my book for July (thanks to my online book club), and it's one of my favorites so far from this year. I enjoyed the intricately woven story and the interesting characters. One of my all-time favorites is Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, and this was along the same vein...probably why I enjoyed it. I will say the story got a little crazy as it was wrapping up, but it was still good. I feel like the author could have left off a few of the twists and it still would have been an exceptional book without being over the top. It's definitely an excellent read, especially if you like twists and surprises.

Chic Critique: Photography Idol

Do you guys remember that one time back in January when I said I wanted to enter more photo contests? Yeah...that's one of my "resolutions" that hasn't quite been met. BUT I'm changing that right now... in August. I'm entering this photo of Laura to be considered for Chic Critique's Photography Idol. I will be opening myself up to critique, which I honestly miss since being out of school. It's hard to know where to improve when no one is pointing out your weaknesses! I know it's kind of a long shot, but cross your fingers for me that I get picked :)

I had to choose one...yes ONE...image to represent my style. How do you even begin to do that? Well I know this particular shoot was one of the most fun that I've ever done, so that's how I narrowed it down. Even though it's not the BEST shot from the day, it shows how I gravitate toward interesting light and how I use my rule of thirds. I'm all about some rule of thirds y'all! The downside is that it doesn't show how much I love color...but the dramatic light kind of trumps that for me. Here's the rest from that shoot if you want to see: http://kristimcmurry.blogspot.com/2011/05/in-atmosphere.html

I can't even explain how much I miss taking photos like this. I think once the cooler weather shows back up, I'm going to get someone to model for me again. It's just been way too long!

Read a Book a Month: May

Who knew I'd be so bad about posting these on time? Oh well, at least I'm reading! It's July and so far I have actually kept my resolution of reading a book a month. I haven't kept many of the rest of them, but as long as I have this one, I feel good. The second installment of Veronica Roth's series came out on May 1st, so I bought it at the bookstore that day. The first half of it was a little slower paced than the first book (Divergent), but it picked up about mid way! Once the action started, my nose was in the book all day until I finished. I love the way she has ended both of these books. She does it in a way that I am definitely looking forward to the next one, but I am not going CRAZY waiting. Does that make sense?  Anyway, if you haven't looked into this series, check it out here. You will not be sorry!

Since I've read quite a bit of young adult fiction, I decided to read a classic that I've had in my pile for a while. I really enjoyed The House of the Seven Gables. It was of course hard to adjust to the writing style, since it is quite flowery and descriptive...more than I'm used to. I would get lost in a paragraph and have to re-read a lot, but the story was so good! I love love love Hawthorne's way of creating characters. I was really invested in the main characters, which I don't get in a lot of the modern books I read. Anyway, it was a good read! If you like classics, or just want to branch out, I highly recommend it.

I'll try to post the June books pretty soon! I just wrapped up one of them, but I'll include it anyway, even though I finished it in July. Have you guys read any good books lately?

Read a Book a Month: April

Let's go back in time a bit, so I can share my book for April with you. My book club group picked this book Divergent by Veronica Roth for the month. It's along the same vein at Hunger Games, so I was unsure how I was going to like it. About 5 minutes into reading, though, and I was hooked. I think I finished this in less than 3 days, which just means that I was obsessed. It was so good that I was reading while I was sitting at red lights (not saying that's the best idea), and I remember sitting in my car before a meeting until the very last second just so I could read a few more pages. I honestly don't even want to try to go deep into the book because I'm TERRIBLE at explaining plots. I will just say that this was a much smoother read than Hunger Games, and it was way more interesting/less depressing to me. Read the description on Amazon to get a full picture, but honestly, I suggest this book to everyone. I've already lent it to 3 other people (as you can see from the bent cover) and they all loved it too.

This is why I LOVE my book club ladies. I probably would have never heard of this series, and it turned out to be something I really enjoyed. After reading Divergent in a couple of days, I decided to start on Les Miserables. I'm still reading other books, but in between smaller ones I'm plugging away at Les Mis :) I think I'm about 300 pages in....of 1500. Woo!

Read a Book a Month: March

Y'all! I'm so late on this! Whatever, better late than never, I always say. So March started out with a quick read of Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler. It's not pictured here because I already put it in my book trunk and I don't feel like digging it back out. That's not unreasonable, right? It was pretty funny. Either she's had the most interesting/insane life ever, or she's great at stretching the truth. She does point out in the book that she's a compulsive liar, so I'm inclined to think she's just good at making somewhat strange and funny situations seem like a riot. Either way I recommend it if you're into her comedy.

Next I read my Hoes for Libros (online book club full of awesome ladies) pick An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin. This is the second novel that I've read by him, and I actually enjoy his writing! This was a story about a woman moving her way up in the art world. He used references to actual artwork, auction houses, and events to make the whole thing seem true. By the end I felt like everything in the book had actually happened. I honestly didn't care much for the main character, but I don't think Martin wants the reader to like her. The weird thing about this book is that I wasn't rooting for anyone in the story...I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Next up was one that I'd been itching to read for a while: The Hunger Games! It's been in my "to read" list, and by the time I actually picked it up to read it, the hype had built it up quite a bit. I have a thing with hyped up books...I usually don't read them because I'm afraid I'll be disappointed. I wouldn't say HG was a disappointment, but I wasn't as crazy over it as a lot of people have been. I didn't immediately pick up the next book when I was done....it's actually still sitting by my bed waiting to be read. Rhett thinks it's strange that I can stop in the middle of a series and start reading something else. It doesn't bother me though! I would still recommend Hunger Games, but I didn't enjoy the writing style AT ALL. The short, choppy sentences drove me nuts, and I didn't feel especially connected to the characters.

Well that's it! Three books in March...I'm on a roll. I've read one full book so far in April and, friends, it was a good one. I can't wait to tell you all about it. I'm currently reading one that's 1500 pages, so I doubt I'll finish it any time soon!

Read a Book a Month: February

So far, I'm still on track with my "book a month" goal for 2012! In fact during February I read TWO books. I know some people who read two books a week (hi, mom), but I just don't read that fast/frequently. I've gotten into the habit of reading for 30 minutes to an hour right before bed, and more on the weekends if I have time. It's been a really great change from watching tv every night. I don't know if it's JUST that or a combination of things, but I've been sleeping so much better lately. I have always heard it was bad to sleep with the tv on, but I just wore an eye mask and did it anyway. Apparently it really was hindering my sleep!

Ok, now on to the books...

The first one I read was As the Spark Flies Upward by the very talented Jenna-Clare Allen. Full disclosure: Jenna-Clare is a family friend, so I might be a little biased. I have been reading her blog since she started it, and I just love it! She really has a knack for pulling me into her stories and not letting me go. Her debut novel was no different. I'll admit that it did start out a bit slow, but once I really started getting to know the characters, I was hooked. I love it when I'm so pulled in by a story that I don't even notice what's going on around me. I haven't felt that way about a book in a long time actually! The novel centers around a poor family in rural Tennessee and the trials they face together. I am not great at plot summaries, so I'll just let you look into it, if you're interested (Jenna's website).

The second book I read was chosen by Devin, a friend of mine on Twitter. Several of us just decided to start a little online book club one day, and this was our first pick. Stiff is a non-fiction exploration of the ways human cadavers are used. It's extremely interesting! When I was in high school, I was fascinated by anatomy and forensic science (duh, I was a CSI addict), so I was really excited to read this book. I wanted to be a coroner, but I gave up on that when I realized I would probably not make it through med school. I'm smart, but not THAT smart. Mary Roach really did her research for this book, which I think is what makes it so good. There is so much amazing research that is done with cadavers. I can't imagine how much less advanced we'd be as a society without people donating their bodies to science. I encourage you guys to read this if the subject matter interests you! You definitely won't be disappointed. (Amazon listing)

Read a Book a Month
January

Read a Book a Month: January

One of my things to do in 2012 is to read a book each month. It's something I always aim to do, but I never make time to read. Having it on an actual list is really helping! I finished The Beautiful and Damned in January and I'm almost finished with my February book (I'm planning to actually read two this month).

If you guys like The Great Gatsby, you might enjoy this book, also by Fitzgerald. I didn't get very involved until the main characters began their relationship. The character whose point of view the story is told from was rather dull until that point! Once the two of them (Gloria and Anthony) became involved, it got a lot more interesting. The story focuses on the lives of these two socialites in the 20s, at the emergence of the Jazz Age. I can honestly say I would NOT have wanted to live in that era. While the fashions are gorgeous and everything appears glamorous, underneath it all lies a lot of corruption and hardship. By the end of the book, I wanted to jump in there and shake the characters for their lack of work ethic and morals (and outrageous consumption of alcohol). They are what we could call "spoiled rotten brats."

While I don't think this book is as good as The Great Gatsby, it's definitely worth reading and very well written. Margaret has it right now, but if any of my followers would like a free copy, let me know and I'll get it in the mail for you!

Things to do in 2012

Well it's here! Yeah, I know it was official 3 days ago, but it's just now sinking in for me. It always takes me a couple of days to get adjusted to the fact that it's a new year. I have never been a resolution maker, but I thought it would be fun to make a to-do list for the year. Something with a few things that were totally do-able and a few that would be a stretch. Some of them are just "keep it this way" things too, so it's not a true to-do list :)

I thought it would be fun to share my list here, and you can all keep me accountable.

1. Raise $1500 for St. Jude. I'm raising money for them through my next race. It's a great platform to raise money for a wonderful organization! You can donate or share my page if you want to help me with this one :)
2. Maintain running and good eating habits. I've been doing surprisingly well keeping up a healthy lifestyle. It doesn't even feel like work anymore! I'd love to maintain that for the rest of the year, and my life.
3. Watch 100 movies in my book. This shouldn't be hard... For those that don't know what this means, I'm trying to watch all the movies in this book.
4. Get the garage organized and keep it that way. Hopefully my roommates will help me with this one...I don't like spiders. 
5. Learn how to sew and make something. This one will be a stretch...but even if it's something as simple as curtains, I'll be happy!
6. Switch to a king size bed. This is something I want when I get married. I'd like to get married this year, so I guess this is my way of having "get married" on my list without actually having it on there.
7. Paint the kitchen. I'm tired of the bright green...ready for something a little more muted!
8. Lay laminate floor in the studio. This will make my studio so much better! If money allows, this will definitely get done.
9. Keep the house clean. Hopefully this is something I'll think about at least weekly. I'm not super clean (just really organized), so it might be hard.
10. Change pricing and structure of photography. I want to change the way I do my freelance work to make it more worth my time.
11. Keep taking my vitamins
12. Do more photo challenges. I need to enter some contests or something.
13. Read a book a month. This is totally do-able! I am actually really excited about this one.
14. Last but certainly not least: Do good things for other people. I think this is a good general rule for life, but it helps to put it on a list :)

I feel like this year is going to be a really good one. I hope you all are off to a wonderful 2012!